Hi new to forum, searching info please, My 1998 f150 4x4 jumped timing on one side and a mechanic took a quick look and said I likely bent valves. It has 278,000 kms or about 175,000 miles. I've been told my cheapest fix is likely changing engines. My 4.6 is a (r) romeo as the 8th digit from the left is a W. I've been told it is much easier to change only using a Romeo not a Windsor. I've also been told by the Auto salvage yards it should be just a 97 or 98 (r). I did do a search and am not real computer savvy. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am interested in keeping this as simple and cheap as possible. Thank You

 

Welcome. I'm surprised that your engine jumped time, did the chain break? Anyway you're correct a W in the vin is a Romeo engine a 6 code is a Windsor. Actually there are not many differences between the two. The cam covers have a different number of bolts The crank/flex plate have 8 bolts on a Windsor, only 6 on a Romeo. There are some differences wiith the blocks but overall not anything that would give you any issues during a swap. So either will work just fine with really no problems. As far as only using a 97 or 98 again it is not critical. You can install a 97 thru current if you want and as long as its a two valve 4.6 you will be good to go. Keep in mind if you go with a 99 up you will pickup around 25-30 hp as they are power improved. You also will want to use your current wire harness and PCM with any of these along with your current 97 coil packs instead of COP's. Many people (myself included) have installed the PI heads and intake on the pre PI block ( 97-98), and they run great. Just remember that a pre PI ( 97-98) intake must be used with pre PI heads and a PI ( power improved ) intake must be used with PI heads only. There is no mixing or matching unless you purchase intake adapter plates which would allow you to use a pre Pi intake on PI heads. Now that I have you completely confused I'll stop. Bottom line is you can install any model year two valve 4.6 engine in your truck with very little fabricating involved. Here is a little info on pre PI vs PI, http://www.mre-books.com/sa82/sa82_5.html

 

Greta post! Nice link as well Dynotech, -I haven't seen that one yet. It's a keeper

 

Thank you for your quick reply, The chain never broke but the mechanic said the guides or tension-er was to slack and jumped time on one side. He is not a ford mechanic and only works on diesels. My son was driving when this all happened was running real rough & no power. Should I tow it to a ford dealer to check. The mechanic has a good friend who is a Ford mechanic who he talked to about it and he figured the valves likely bent as my son drove it a few miles after it happened before calling a tow truck.
You say any 4.6 will fit , so does this mean I won't have to change Intake"dome" & exhaust manifolds if I put a 1999 or 2000 engine including a Windsor? Thanks Again

 

If you go with a 99 up you will need a 99 up intake because the 97 98 are pre PI. Remember pre PI (97 98 truck ) intake will not mate up with PI (99 Up) cyl head intake ports.So you will need 99 or up intake for 99 up heads or the after market adapter plates. You can ( I did) use your throttle body and adapter from the 98 it will bolt right on to any 99 up and makes hooking up the orighinal vac and harness lines a snap I installed new exhaust manifolds on my 97 when I made the switch to PI heads. I ordered the 97/98 manifolds which work on PI and pre PI heads because I wanted to make sure that the manifolds mated with my truck exhaust system head pipes. So if you order new exhaust manifolds order them for the model year of your truck. Makes life a little easier hooking up the exhaust system.

If the valves hit the pistons I gurantee they are bent. You will want to make sure the pistons are not damaged /cracked as well. Usually if a chain tensioner goes bad the chain will not jump timing but if you have excessive wear on the guides etc. I imagine that the stackup between all components could allow the chain to slip.

 

Thanks again Dynotech , I don't want to start changing intakes (Domes) Heads. I do have a line on a 97 4.6 (w) & a 98(w) but mine is a 98(r). If I buy this complete engine can I just change Coils & wires or is there allot more to it. The 97 with only 152,000kms (95,000 miles) is not needing to strip the top of engine it is the way I'll go, if its simpler to find a 97 or 98 (R) I will just haven't found one yet low mileage. What do you recommend? Thanks Again

 

The (W) is a Romeo engine. Not sure where the (R) is coming from but a Windsor engine should be a (6) code. The choice is yours its not a big deal to use any of the engines you mentioned. Either will drop right in with direct hookup from the one you have in the truck now and regardless of what ever engine you chose PI or pre PI you have to use your coil packs with engine harness if you want to use your current PCM. If you go to COP's then the wire harness and PCM have to be compatable with them to make it run. You can drop a 5.4 in if you want but I'm just explaining to you the easiest way to get a engine back in your truck and get it on the road again.

 

pretty much any 4.6 will fit in there..i put a 02 mustang 4.6 in my 98 truck...a few things have to be changed over from one motor to the other but it all went pretty smooth..biggest problem is trying to find a pi truck intake for a 4.6l ended up getting one that came off a 98 and had material added to it and then ported to match pi heads

 

At the very top of the forum it say Vin Decoder, if you type in your serial number it gives the truck info and beside the engine type it says W or R. When I was doing a web search that is how I found this great forum. The Ford dealer referred it as a Romeo engine. I have changed a couple engines back in the 70's & 80's and am a limited back yard mechanic. (nut & bolt Guy) Just wondering if I can tackle this or need to hire someone. Above you stated a crank flex plate 6 & 8 bolt, will this need to be changed if I buy the 97 (w) engine and what about the Exhaust? Thank You

 

I'm trying to keep this as simple as possible so I'm reffering to 99 and up because of the truck PI non PI but like fullyford says you can use any 4.6 earlier or later MY Mustang, Crown Vic, etc. To keep this simple just use a truck intake with or without the PI adapter here is the adapter source thanks to terajerame, http://www.hiperformancesolutions.com/order_page.html. Windsor engine has a 8 bolt crank, Romeo has a 6. All you need is a truck flexplate that has 6 or 8 holes to bolt to your respective engine. Nothing else needs to be done either will bolt to your trans the same way. As explained above, use the exhaust manifolds that match the year of the truck if you are using the same existing exhaust system. If you are changing exhaust systems then use what ever and have a shop fabricate it to match your manifolds,

There is a lot of work involved changing a engine but it's not rocket science, pretty straight forward. Just pay attention to the way everything is hooked up before removing (take pictures). You will fumble through a few things but thats how you learn. I usually do everything by myself (don't want anyone witnessing my screwups, lol) but having someone to help can make a world of difference.

 

Quick correction, the 4.6 didn't get PI heads until 2001.

 

The PI heads were available in 4.6 and 5.4 from 99 up. http://www.mre-books.com/sa82/sa82_5.html. I see I did say 97 98 up which was wrong though in my last post. Yes for truck or do you mean just overall availability? Thanks punisher

 

Yea, it was rumored that you may find them on a 4six , according to "engine builders" = Babcox to be specific. From what I recall they were XLTE castings? - Pretty sure, well, the rumor went like this, - Some XLTE castings have found their way onto a few fortunate 4.6L's... Just a rumor. That was back in 99.

That said, not on ANY truck 4.6l variations, not until 2001 anyway and not that I know of (I better should say) It must have been a Mustang option IF it was indeed available as your link suggests (I didn't read everything there in it's entirety). Drawing from past Data,- from the guys who actually get their hands dirty lol.

 

I think sometimes its easy to get mixed up in regards to model year versus actual calender year as some MY 2010's for example are actually made in 2009. It is still a challenge for me trying to remember what year certain changes were made as we worked on testing and building two or three years ahead of actual production. Anyway I appoligize for any confusion here. I was trying to keep it simple but maybe ended up making it more confusing LOL.

 

The 1999 model year Mustang got the 4.6 Pi Heads. The trucks in 2001.

All the 4.6 2V engines share the same bellhousing and engine mount bolt patterns. All the Non Pi heads share the same intake and exhaust bolt patterns. All the Pi heads share the same intake and exhaust bolt patterns.

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